Gas-analysis apparatus.



No. 824,999. PATENTED JULY 3', 1906.

J. M. M-OREHEAD. GAS ANALYSIS APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1905.

JOHN MOTLEY MOREHEAD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GAS-ANALYSIS APPARATUS Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1906.

1pplication filed June 17, 1905. Serial No: 265,797.

In nvf/ 111mm it may concern.-

Be it. known that I, Jonx Mo'rLEY Moun- HEAD, a citizen ol the United States; residing .at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Analysis Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

In the analysis of industrial gas mixtures such as illuminating, producer, furnace, and tlue gases certain constituentssuch as carbon dioxid, acetylene, ethylene, oxygen, and carbon monoxidare usually determined by successively passing a i'neasured volume of the gas into different vessels containing reagents which will absorb one or more of the constituents such as solutions of potassium hydroxid, bromin, pyrogallic acid, and cuprous chlorid-the percentage of each constituent being determined by the contraction in volume of the sample after each absorption. The hydrogen and methane are then determined by mixing the residual with oxygen and air and igniting the mixture in an explosion-burette, the hydrogen being thereby burned to water and the carbon to carbon dioxid, which is then absorbed by potassium hydroxid, the amount of each being determined by the successive contractions. The repeated transfer of the gas sample between the several vessels requires considerable skill, is a slow operation, and involves the risk of loss of a portion of the sample on account of the many cocks and joints in the apparatus.

The present apparatus comprises a graduated burette by which the gas sample is measured and in which each step of the analysis is efi'ected, the several reagents being successively introduced therein. The burette is provided at its upper end with a three-way cock, which controls'passages leading to a tunnel for the introduction of the reagents, a washbottle, and a storage-bulb with its control-bottle. At the lower end of the burette is abulb having an outlet to a three-way cock which controls a water-sealed outlet and a rubber tube leading to a leveling-bottle.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, the figure is a perspective View ofthe complete apparatus.

The burette 1 is of ordinary form, preterably holding one hundred cubic centimeters and graduated in tenths. it is held in a vertical position by clamps .2 on a standard 3. At the upper end of the burette is a three-way of the lower cock into the beaker.

cock 4, which controls a tube 5, carrying aremovable funnel 6 and a horizontal passage connected by a rubber coupling 7 to another three-way cock 8. The cock S controls a rub ber tube 9, leading to a Wash-bottle lfi, and the upper end of a gas-storage bulb-11, to the lower end ofwhich is connected a rubber tube 12, leading to a control-bottle 13.

The lower end 14 of the burette is enlarged and has a tubular extension containing a three-way cook 15. This cock controls the rubber-tube 16 of the leveling bottle 17 and has a hollow plug with a tubular extension, whichis normally sealed by water in the beaker 19 Platinum electrodes 20 21 are sealed into the burette near its upper end.

The bottles 10, 13, and 17 are normally supported by a shelf 22, fixed upon the upper end of the standard 23. The bottle 17 may also be placed on the table 23.

In preparing the apparatus for an analysis the bottles 10, 13, and 17, the burette, storage-bulb 11, and pipes are filled with water, the funnel 6 is removed from the upper end of the burette,and the pipe 5 is put in communication with the source of gas. The cocks 4 and 15 are turned to allow the gas to pass into the upper end of the burette, while the water therein runs through the stem 18 \Vhcn the burette is filled with gas, the cock 4 is closed, the connectionis removed from the pipe .5, and the funnel 6 replaced thereon and filled Bubbles of gas are then allowed rette contains one hundred cubic centimeters at atmospheric pressure, as controlled by the levcding-bottle 17, which is put' into comnumication with the lower end of the burette by turning the cook 15. percentage of carbon dioxid in the sample, the funnel is drained except for a small layer again closed, and the lower cock is turned to connect the burettc} with the beaker. The standard p0tassium-hydroxid solution is'in troduced into the tunnel and allowed to drain slowly into the burette until the funnel is nearly empty, whereupon the co ks 1t and 8 are turned to allow water to runfrom the wash-bottle 10 through the connections 9 7. and through the burette, for aperiod of about ten seconds. The cock is then closed, the funnel removed, rinsed, replaced, and refilled with water. The leveling-bottle 17 is To deter ine the 9 of water in the bottom, the upper cock is again connected with the burette, and the T ing-bottle connected tu'the lower end of the 6 5 volume of gas at atmospheric pressure measj carbon dioxid in the sample. The illuminants 1n the gas-for example, acetylene and ethylene are similarly determined by succes 5 tle connected to the lower end of the bulb, and

sively introducing bromin and potassium hydroxid' into the' burette. This reaction evolves considerable heat, which may largely increase the volume of the gas. The bulb or ured, the loss being equal to the amount of 5 enlargement 14 at the lower end of the bu- 1 'r'ette acts as a liquid-reservoir and prevents any possible loss of the gas due to-tlns expansiomthe capacity of this bulb being suffi- E c'ient topermit the gaseouscontents of the relatively narrow burette to materially ex )and without expelling all of the waterthroug the stem 18 of the lower cock; The oxygen is then absorbed by a solutionof potassium. pyrogallate and the carbon monoXid by a solution of cuprous chlorid, the burette and funnel being washed after each absorption. T o determine the unabsorbed gaseshydrogen, methane, and,nitrogen the cocks 8, 4, and 15 5 are turned to put the burette in communication with the bulb 11 and bottles 13 and 17;

By raising the bottle 17 all of the remaining gas but ten cubic centimeters is forced out of the burette into the bulb, l1jdisplacing the water therein into the bottle 13. The/cock S is then closed, the funnel 6 removed, a measured al'noun-t of air and oxygen introduced into the burette through the pipe 5 and cook 4, and the mixture in the burette exploded by an electric spark passed between the electrodes 2U 21. The amount of gas in the hurette is then measured, the carbon dioxid resulting from the explosion absorbedby potassium hydroxid, the gas remeasured, and the percentage of hydrogen, methane, and nitrogen determined from the successive losses in volume. In case the explosion is unsatisfactory or to check the analysis another portion or portions of gas may be introduced into the burette from the storagebulb 11. p 7

Vith this apparatus each of the constituents of ordinary gas mixtures may be quickly determined, with a probable error of one part in fivehundrcd. The gas undergoing analysis is retained in the burette and is under a water seal throughout. The risk of loss to portions of the sample or ofintroducing air into itis thereby eliminated.

1. A gas-analysis apparatus, comprising a graduated burette, a funnel and a wash-bottlc connected to the upper end of the burette, and a leveling-bottle connected to the lower end 'of 'theburetjte, as set forth.

2. A gasanaivsisj'appa ratus, comprising a -graduated eggplosion-burette having elec trodes, a funneland a storaqe-bulb connected to the upper'end oi the burette, and a levelburette, as set forth.

3. A gas-analysis apparatus, comprising a graduated explosion-burette having electrodes, a funnel and a storage-bulb connected to the upper end of the burette, a control-bota leveling-bottle connected to the lower end of the burette, as set forth.

4. A gas-analysis apparatus, comprising a burette having electrodes, a three-way cock at the upper end of the burette, a funnel and a second three-way cock controlled thereby, a wash-bottle and a storage-bulb controlled 5 by the second threeway cock, and a levelingbottle connected to the lower end of the hurette, as set forth.

5. A gas-analysis apparatus, comprising a graduated burette, a funnel at the upper end of the burette, and a separate leveling-bottle and Water-sealed outlet connected to the lower end ofthe burette, as set forth.

6. A gas-analysis apparatus, comprising a burette, a funnel and a wash-bottle connected to the upper end of the bu'rette, and a separate leveling-bottle and water-sealed outlet connected to the lower end of the burette, as set forth. L

7. A gas-analysis ap arat'ii's, comprisinga burette having electro es, a three-way cock at the upper end of the burette, a funnel and a second three-way cock controlled thereby,

' a wash-bottle and a storage-bulb controlled by the second three-way cock, and a separate leveling-bottle and Water-sealed outlet connected to the lower end of the burette, as set forth.

-8. A gas-analysis burette for effecting exothermic reactions, having a bulbed lower end to act as a liquid reservoir and a liquidsealed outlet leading from the bulb, the bulb capacity being sufficient to permit the gaseous contents of the burette to materially expand without expelling the liquid from the seal, as set forth.

9. A gas-analysis apparatus, comprising a burette having a bulbed lowercnd, a separate liquid-sealed outlet and leveling-bottle connected tothe bulb, and a funnel at the upper end of the burette, as set forth.

10. A gas-analysis apparatus, comprisingan explosion-burettehaving electrodes and a bulbed lower end, a separate liquid-sealed outlet and levelingrbottle connected to the bulb, a funnel and a storage-bulb connected to the upper end of the burette, and a controlroe its

bottle connected to the storagwbull), as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aliix mysignature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN MOTLEY MOREHEAD. Vitnesses :Y

JosnPnfiR. Monius, ALICE D.-Y0UNG. 

